Apparatus for and method of reshaping a molded pulp article



Aug.29,1939. M@ RCHAPUN 2,171,413

APPARATUS PORAND uETHoD oP RESHAPING AuoLDsD PULP ARTICLE Filed June 7, 1937 2. sheets-sheet 1 y Invenfm;

Aug. 29, 1939. M, P', CHAPUN 2,171,413

' .APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF' RESHAPING A MOLDED PULP ARTICLE Filed June '7, 1937 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y l )5 I] v 11| '-f lli. 1. f 12y 199.11 50' Patented Aug. 29, 1939 UNITED vSTATES APPARATUS FOR AND LIETHOD OF RESHAP- A MOLDED PULP ARTICLE Merle P. Chaplin, South Portland, Maine, assignor to Chaplin Corporation, South Portland, Maine, a corporation of Maine Application June 7, 1937, Serial No. `146,763

` 12 claims. (el. sas-55) This invention relates to a method of re-shaping a molded pulp article, said method facilitating the assembly of a device with the re-shaped article, and for holding it in re-shaped position.

The molded pulp article and its method of manufacture is disclosed in my copending applications-Serial Numbers 113,308 and 144,905.

A device suitable for holding the molded pulp article in re-shaped position is disclosed in my copending application-Serial Number 143,763.

.My invention isA illustrated by the following figures:

Fig. 1 shows va plan view of the molded pulp article before reshaping. v

- Fig. 2 shows a sectional view thru the center of the article of Fig. 1, as on line 2-2, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a half plan vliew of a symmetrical base ring or holding xture onl which the article is placed before reshaping.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view thru the center of Fig. 3.

Fig..5 is a half plan vew of asymmetrical ring or compressing xture used to reshape a portion of the pulp article of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6`is a sectional view thru the center of the ring ofv Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view thru one side ofthe base ring of Figs. 3 and 4, showing the unreshaped molded pulp article inl place on the ring and the compressing ring in place to subsequently reshape the article.

Fig. 8 shows a sectional view thru one side of "the base ring of Figs.. 3 and 4, with the molded pulp article in place on this ring and the compression ring of Figs. 5 and 6 in position after a portion of the pulp article has been reshaped.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. s, but

showing the retaining device or band in place for holding the portion of the reshaped article in position. e

Fig. 10 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 8 but showing the retaining device or band holding the molded pulp article in reshaped position, the compression ring having been removed, leaving the reshaped article completed. Y

Fig. 11 is a side View of Fig. 9, showing the compression ring in its upper position.

Fig. 12 is a side view of Fig. l0 lshowing the compression ring'in lower position.

Fig. 13 shows several of the reshaped articles of Fig. 10 with their restraining bands in place, thesearticles being superimposed, the restraining band performing a dual purpose of holding the reshaped portion of the reshaped article in posi- 'clined section tion and forming a support for a superimposed article.

Fig. 14 shows one form of angle formation on the bottom of the sections 5, to facilitate and permit superimposed reshaped articles to be stacked 6 Ione above the other.

Fig. 15 shows a preferred form of angle forma-- tionused for the same purpose but provided for restraining inward motion of the sections 5.

The molded pulp article of Figs. 1 and 2 conl0 sists of a bottom portion I, an-encloslng llared section 2, relatiyely flat rim section 3, and an extra rim section 4. The central portion of the article included in portions I, 2 and 3, are suitable for containing'or holding any desired ma- 15 terial or product. The extra rim section I is divided into a number of sections 5 by slots, 6. The outer end of these sections 5 -terminate in an angle structure consisting of an outwardly and upwardly projecting short projecting section 1, 20

. and a downward and somewhat outwardly projecting portion 8. These several sections 5 are divided by spacing slots 5, in' order that they may be reshaped into anew position.

The reshaping of the above portions is accom- 25 plished by two devices or xtures, one, a base or holding ring illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and the other, a compression ring, illustrated in Figs.

5 and 6.

' The base ring consists of a base section 9, an 30 upwardly and somewhat inwardlyI inclined section I0, and a'vertical section II. The section II,

is shaped in plan view, toconform andt beneath the rim section 3 of the molded pulp article, which it is desired to reshape. Arranged about 35 the upstanding portions III and II, and attached to and a part of, base 9, are a plurality of upstanding ribs or posts I2.

'The compression ring of Figs. 5 and 6 consists of an upstanding substantially vertical portion 40 I3, on the lower edge of which is a downwardly and outwardly flaring portion Il, this portion terminating in a plurality of outwardly projecting ears I5. The number yof outwardly projecting portions I5, onlthe compression' ring, is the .45 same as the number of posts I2, on the base ring, and these ears project outwardly from the in- I4 a suilicient distance sov that they will rest on the top of the posts I2, vwhen the ears I5 ofthe compression ring are placed above 50 the posts -I2, on the base ring. The diameter of the upwardly extending section I4, is somewhat less than the inner diameter between the posts I2 on the base ring, so that when the compression ring is placed over the base ring, with the ears I5. located in between the posts I2, the compression ring will go all the way down and rest on the top of the base 9 of the base ring.

Referring to Fig. 7, the molded pulp article to be reshaped is placed on the base ring as shown, the diameter of the base ring and the inner diameter of the rim portion 3 of the molded article, where it meets the inner section 2, being s'o designed and dimensioned, that the portion I I,

of the baise ring will center the molded pulp article in position. After the article has been placed on the base ring, the compressionv ring is placed over the top of both base ring and article, as indicated. When so placed, the compression ring is located .so that its ears I5 are directly above the posts I2 on the base ring. The compression ring is then pushed down to the position shown in Fig. 8, this downward motion of the compression ring forcing the divided sections 5 of the pulp article, inwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 8. This forcing inwardlyis accomplished by the beveled section I4 on the compression ring, contacting and sliding down over the outer portion 8 of the pulp article. When the compression ring is in the position indicated in Fig. 8, the outer portion 8 of the flange at the bottom of the section 5, will be substantially in \the vertical center of the straight portion I3 of the compression ring.

When the sectional portions 5 of the pulp article, have been reshaped'nto the position indicated in Fig. 8, a band or ring, made up in endless form, is pushed downwardly over the reshaped sections to the position indicated in Fig. 9. Thisband or ring portion, indicated at I6, then serves to retain the sections 5 in the position in which they have been reshaped by the compression ring.

In order that the reshaped article, with its band I6, forced over it, can be readily removed f from the base ring, the compression ring is rotated about the base ring to bring the ears I5 in between the posts I2 on the base ring. The compression ring will then drop downwardly to the position indicated in Figs. 10 and 12, and the vertical part I3 will be free and clear of the angular section 8, which was previously held in compression by the part I3. 'Ihe reshaped article with its retaining band may then be readily removed from the base ring, and a second pulp article placed thereon, for reshaping. A

Before a subsequent article is'placed on the base ring, the compression ring must, of course,

be removed so that it may be reused in the posi- I tion indicated first at Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 shows an exterior viw of the base, the compression ring and' the reshaped article after the band is in place but while the compression ring is still holding the reshaped-portions 5 in position. The ear I5, on the compression ring, is shown resting on the top of post I2, on the base ring, and the vertical section I3 of the compression ring in contact with, and holding part 8, of the section 5, in reshaped position.

Fig. 12 is an exterior view of the base ring, compression ring, and the reshaped article with the band in place after the compression ring has been turned so that the ears I5 come in between the post I2, permitting the ring to drop down wardly until it rests on the base 9. The top of the straight section I3, onthe compression ring,

1s below the part 8 on the reshaped article, per.- mitting the reshaped article and its band to be removed from the base ring.

The purpose of the angle-shaped portion comprising the outwardly projecting part 'l and the downwardly projecting part 8, is to provide a locking or nesting recess to cooperate with the upper edge of a retaining band, which has been assembled on a similar article. Figs. 14 and 15 show two slightly different shapes or forms of this structure.

The preferred form is illustrated in Fig. 15, which form is also shown in Fig. 173, where a stack of three reshaped articles is shown. In this preferred form 'of angle-structure the divided edge portions or sections 5, are not only held against outward movement or a return to their un-reshaped position, but they are also restrained against further or additional inward movement by virtue of a locking action at point I'l, between the lower edge of the b and I6, and of the outwardly projecting iiange portion 1.

With either the angle-section illustrated in Fig. 14 or that illustrated in Fig. 15, the operation and method of reshaping the sectional edge portions 5, is the same. When the sectional edge `portions 5 are held in reshaped position by the commit myself exclusively, to this design or to any other .design speciiically, in connection with this invention.

This invention deals only with an apparatus for, 'and a method of, reshaping a portion of a molded pulp article.

Cognate subject matter not claimed herein is embraced in copending applications, previously mentioned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device ot the 'class described, comprisingI a base member with an upstanding central section adapted to hold in position a molded pulp article, a portion of which is to be reshaped,.said base member having exteriorly, of said iirst mentioned upstanding section, a plurality of other upstanding portions, -and a compression ring, a portion of which is adapted to rest on and be held -by,.the aforementioned plurality of exteriorly positioned upstanding members on the base ring.

2. A device of thewlass described, comprising a base member adapted to hold and center a molded pulp article, a plurality of upwardly projecting lugs on said base member, a compression ring member, a portion of which is adapted to reshapeI a portion of article centered by the base member, and a plurality of outwardly extending portions on said compression ring member cooperating` with the upstanding posts on thebase member to locate said compression ring member in a pre-determined position. l

3. A device of the class described, comprising a base member having an upstanding central portion and a plurality of upstanding sectional portions located exteriorly thereof, and a compression ring, with a plurality of extending sections, adapted to either rest on`the sectional upstanding portions of the base ring, or to drop between and below said upstanding sectional base portions, depending on the position of the compression ring relative to the base ring.

4. An apparatus for reshaping molded pulp articles comprising means to hold and center the 'Ill molded article, comprising a holding member having a central section and a plurality of upstanding portions on the exterior thereof, a com.- pression ring member adapted to be forcedover that portion of the article to be reshaped,fand to bend same to desired shape by application of compression about said portion, said ring member having a plurality of projecting ears adapted to rest upon and be supported by the upstandlng portions on the holding member thereby to retain the compression ring in proper position to hold the reshaped molded pulp article portions in reshaped position until a retaining and securing member can be inserted therein.

5. An apparatus for reshaping molded pulp articles comprising means to hold the molded article, a plurality 'of circumferentally spaced apart, upstanding portions on the exterior of said holding means, a compression ring member adapted to be forced over that portion of. the article to be reshaped and to bend same to desired shape by application of compression about said portion, said ring member having a plurality of outwardly projecting portions circumferentially arranged, said outwardly projecting portions being positioned to rest on and be supported by the upstanding portions on the holding means, the spacing between said upstanding portions being suciently great to receive said outwardly projecting portions when said compression ring is partially rotated, whereby said compression ,ring may drop down into a co-operative plane,

out of contact with a reshaped article.

6. The method of reshaping a molded pulp article which consists in supporting said article substantially centrally thereof, applying cornpression externally against that portion of the article to be reshaped, and reshaping same by bending said portion toward the central portion, of applying a holding or retaining band to secure the reshaped portions of the molded article in position, and of'maintaining the application of compression against the reshaped portions until said retaining band is in position on the article.

7. Apparatus for reshaping portions of a ilbrous article, comprlsingysupporting means for holding andcentering the article to be reshaped,

and compression means effective when positioned in one plane with respect to said supporting means both to apply reshaping pressure to the portions of the article which are to be reshaped and to hold the article temporarily in its reshaped form until a retaining member can be applied thereto for holding the article in its reshaped form Vafter it is removed from the apparatus, said compression'means effective when positioned in another plane with respect to said supporting means to release the reshaping pressure and permit the reshaped article and its applied retaining member to be removed from the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, the supporting means and the compression means being pro-` vided with portions cooperatively engageable with one another to retain the compressionA means in compressionjapplying position when positioned in'said mst-named plane of operation but releasable from one another by partial` rotaone another and effective when positioned in one plane to applysuilicient bending pressure to the segmental rim portions to move them from said angular to said substantially vertical position for the application of a retaining annulus thereto, and effective when positioned in another plane to release the bending pressure and permit removal of the plate and its retaining annulus from the apparatus.

l0. Apparatus for bending the angularly extending segmental portions of a radially slotted plate rim from their angular position to a substantially vertical position wherein the outer ends, at least, of. the slots in the plate rim are substantially closed and the rim presents a substantially unbrokenl edge, comprising a platesupporting member and a rim-bending member. said members vertically movable with respect to one another to thereby apply sufficient bending pressure to the' segmental rim portions to move them from said angular to said substantially verltical position for the application of a retaining annulus thereto before the bending pressure is released.

l1. The steps in the method' of producing a display pack, which comprise placing a plate having an angularly extending radially slotted rim on a support, applying sufcient bending pressure to the segmental rim portions of the plate while so supported to move them from their angular position to a substantially vertical position, wherein the outer ends, at least, of the slots in the plate rim are closed and the rim presents a substantially unbroken edge, and applying an annulus to said bent rim portions for thereafter retaining them in said substantially vertical position..

12. The steps in the method of producing a display pack, which comprise placing a plate having an angularly extending radially slotted rim between relatively movable plate-supporting and rim-bending members, moving one of said members vertically relative to the other to thereby apply sufficient bending pressure to the segmental rim portions of the plate to cause them to movetfrom their angular position to a substantially vertical position wherein the outer ends, at least, of the slots in the plate rim are closed and the rim presents a substantially unbroken edge, and subsequently moving one'of said members vertically relative to the other to thereby release the bent rim portions, and applying to thevbent rim portions an annulus for thereafter retaining them in said substantially vertical position.

MERLE P. CHAPLIN. 

